Louis welkee



(No Model.)

L. WELKER.

TABLE LEAF SUPPORT.

Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS \WELKER, OF \VILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL FURNITURE COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF SAME PLACE.

TABLE-LEAF SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,125 dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed April 9,1884. Serial No.127,041.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LoUIs WELKER, of Williamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Table-Leaf Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is particularly designed as an improvement upon the device described in Letters Patent to Samuel Ehrman, No. 76,725, of April 14, 1868, and has in view greater efficiency and strength, as well as simplicity and economy in the manufacture and application of the device.

To these ends my improvements consist in the novel construction and arrangement of a straight and rigid arm or brace, a stationary curved guide-plate, and a vertically-sliding locking-bolt, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Attention is invited to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a table and its leaf, illustrating the application of my invention; Fig. 2, a view in elevation, partly in section, of the same, showing the arm or brace as locked to hold the leaf in raised position, and showing by dotted lines the position of the same when unlocked and lowered; Fig. 3, a detail of the guide-plate from the rear, and the free end of the arm or brace; Fig. 4, a detail of the locking-bolt, which has vertical movement in the guide-plate; and Fig. 5, a detail of the free end of the arm or brace.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

My improvements are herein shown as applied, in connection with a leaf, A, connected by hinges a, to a table-top, A.

B denotes the arm or brace, which is made straight and rigid, and is pivoted at one end to a socket, a, secured to the lower side of the leaf A, the pivot-pin being formed either on the arm or on the socket, as preferred, and the length of said arm or brace and its point of connection to the table-leaf being such that it shall serve as a proper inclined support for the leaf by the bearing of its free end against an abutment on the frame A of the table.

This abutment is furnished by a locking-bolt, D, (presently to be described,) which has vertical movement in the guide a of the plate 0,

and is inclosed by the same, as shown, to exelude dust, 8m, arising from sweeping and other causes. The guide-plate O is secured by screws, or any other appropriate fastening, to the outside of the frame A andhas a curved lower end with a closed slot, 0, in which moves I the free end'of the arm or brace B, and this lower end of the plate 0 is of such length that when the table-leaf is lowered the arm or brace rests in the slot 0 on a horizontal plate at a right angle to the leaf, so that a drawer can be used next to the frame A without contact or injury by the arm or brace. This arm or brace B is cut away on its upper side,adjacent to its free end, to form ashoulder, b, and

a flat seat, I), the latter extending from said ally from the extreme free end of the arm or brace, and are adapted to ride over the inner curved faces of the lower end of the plate 0, while the width of the seat I) and the remainder of the arm or brace B is such as to work freely in the slot 0. When the leaf is raised to the plane'of the'tabletop, the lugsb of the arm or brace B enter and are caught by recesses c in the back of the plate 0, and thus serve as a detentto thefurther upward movement of the arm or brace, which would strain'and finally break the hinges of the leaf. These lugs b are retained in the recesses c, and the arm or brace is restrained against longitudinal movement by the bolt D, which, as soon as the lugs enter the recesses, falls upon the seat I) and is locked by its engagement with the shoulder b of the arm or brace. The face of this shoulder 72 and the lower end of the bolt D are correspondingly beveled to fit nicely together, so that in the moving of the table or jarring of the leaf the bolt cannot work upward, with a tendency to disengage itself from the shoulder of the arm or brace. The lower portion of the bolt D, as well as that of the guide 0 in which it works, is made wider than the upper portion, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,-so as to prevent the bolt from sticking or hanging in falling to engage with the shoulder of the arm or brace. The bolt D has near its lower end a pin, d, to retain it in the guide and limit its upward movement, and when the parts are locked this pin bears upon the upper side of the arm or brace and serves as a detent to the vertical play of the same. This bolt D has thumb-pieces d on its upper end, whereby it may be raised and disengaged from the shoulder of the arm or brace. parts are disengaged, the table-leaf and the arm or brace will drop to and retain by gravity the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The arm or brace being guided in its movements through the slot, the re-engagement of the bolt is readily effect ed when the leaf is again raised to the plane of the table-top.

My improvements are of ready application to any table with a hinged leaf, are of easy adjustment, and provide a support which cannot fail in its work. is strong and durable, and

at the same time exceedingly light and cheap to manufacture.

I am aware that a combined forked springbrace and recessed guide-hasp has been used as a table-leaf support, and am also aware that asupport of this class has been constituted of a curved arm or brace with a shoulder at its free end to lock with a swinging latch pivoted to a slotted plate; but while my support embraces an arm or brace with a shoulder at its free end, a slotted guide-plate and a bolt to lock with said shoulder, the several parts differ in construction from the former inthe following particulars: The arm or brace is neither forked nor curved, but is straight and rigid, and the shoulder at its free end has a beveled face. The slotted guide-plate is not flat nor angular, as is the case with the others,

' but is curved at its lower end, and has at its upper end a closed guide, besides a pair of recesses on its rear side, neither of which fea tures exist in the devices named. The lockingbolt is neither pivoted nor arranged to swing,

,- but has vertical movement in the guide of the plate, and has a pin which limits its upward movement. The guide protects the bolt from dust, 8.50., and is made wider at the lower end to prevent the bolt from sticking or hanging in falling to engage with the disengage themselves.

sulting from these differences in construction are as follows: By making the arm or brace shoulder on the arm or brace.

When these rigid, instead of forked and springy'. less power is required to raise and lock the leaf and to unlock the same, besides, the pinching of the hand is avoided, as frequently occurs in compressing the forks of the spring-brace.- By making the arm or brace straight, instead of curved, a drawer can be used next to the frame-work of the table, for when the leaf is down the arm or brace lies in a horizontal plane at a right angle to the leaf, which is not the case with a curved arm or brace, or where an angular plate is used with a straight arm or brace, as in the support first named. The vertically-sliding bolt is easier and more convenient to manipulate than a pivoted swinging latch; besides, it will not stick or hang, as will the latter frequently'do,wheu raised, particularly if the pivot be tootight, and when the pivot becomes too loose from wear a latch of this character will workto no advantage whatever.- On the whole, -a bolt of this Kind is much stronger and more durable than a pivoted swinging latch.

The general advantages'of my support over those named are, that it is more efficient, re quires, less material in its construction, and hence, as before-stated, is much lighter and is cheaper to manufacture.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. The combination, in atableleaf support,

of the vertically-sliding bolt D, with beveled lower end, and the straight and rigid armi-or brace B, having shoulder b, with beveled face,

substantially as and for the purposes set forth-.3

and made wider at its lower end, to corre'e' spend with the size of said guide 0 in which it has verticalmoveinent, substantially as and for thepurposesset forth. .1

3. A table-leaf support consisting of the straight and rigid arm or brace B, pivoted td the table-leaf, and having a seat, b,shoulder b,- and a pair of lugs, b, on its free end, a guide plate, 0, secured to the table-frame andhai'ving a curved slotted lower end, with a pair of recesses, .0, and a locking-bolt, D, --havingp vertical movement in said guide-plate,-and

.made with a pin, d, and thumb-piecesd, all

constructed and combined substantially as described.

LOUIS wELK 'n- Witnesses:

ADDISON CANDER, W. D. GRooKER. 

